Ark. Forestry Commission: Now is the time to plant trees

Homeowners and landowners who want to replace trees lost to ice and snow should plant new seedlings now.

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Stuttgart Daily Leader - Stuttgart, AR

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Posted Feb. 1, 2013 at 1:38 PM
Updated Feb 1, 2013 at 1:40 PM

Posted Feb. 1, 2013 at 1:38 PM
Updated Feb 1, 2013 at 1:40 PM

The winter storms across Arkansas damaged or killed many trees, and damage will be more evident once the leaves start coming out this spring. But while spring is the season for growing, when it comes to trees winter is the season for planting, according to Baucum Nursery Supervisor Allan Murray of the Arkansas Forestry Commission.

“This is the time of year you plant bare root stock dormant trees,” Murray said.

Homeowners and landowners who want to replace trees lost to ice and snow should plant new seedlings now. Baucum Nursery, located on 220 acres outside of Scott in Pulaski County, is where the Arkansas Forestry Commission grows pine and hardwood seedlings by the millions. The nursery is currently in the process of harvesting, or lifting, these seedlings and packaging them for sale to its customers: Commercial timber industries, private non-industrial forest land owners (PNIFLOs, in commission parlance) and the general public.

The types of seedlings available range from shortleaf and loblolly pines to various oak species — sawtooth, cherrybark, nutall — black gum, mulberry and cypress. And whether a property owner has one acre or thousands they want planted, Baucum Nursery can meet that need.

“We can sell in quantities of 10,000 or more, but we do sell smaller bundles for yards,” Murray explained. “The smallest amount of a single species we sell is 25 trees, but we also have beautification packs of 10 trees — two trees each of five species.”

Single-species packs of 25 hardwood seedlings sell for $20. The beautification packs are also $20, as is the wildlife bundle of 10 trees — two each of five species — chosen for improving wildlife habitat. All proceeds go back into the nursery, which through seedling sales is able to completely fund its operations at no cost to the Arkansas taxpayer.

Orders may be placed by contacting Baucum Nursery at (501) 907-2485, or by visiting www.ArkansasForestry.org and clicking on AFC Seedlings.

The seedlings will be available for pick-up at the nursery, located at 1402 Hwy. 391 N., which can be reached by taking Highway 165 (the England Highway) east approximately two miles past I-440, then turning north on Highway 391 (State Dairy Road/Baucum Road) for approximately 2.5 miles. The nursery will be on the right.